Tag Archives: classic

1954 Cramer Comet

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1954 Cramer Comet

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

If this car looks massive it’s because it is – in every way. At 5200 pounds it’s not exactly a Lotus. But under the hood there’s a whole lot of power: 1350 horses.

Conceived, designed and built by Omaha native Tom Cramer in the early 1950s, the Cramer Comet features a number of weird innovative design aspects. First is the chassis which is built out of nickel-steel refrigerator tubing. Then he popped in a 1350hp Allison V12 aircraft engine.

The body is styled after a number of standard 1950s designs. Oldsmobile, Buick, Lincoln, and Studebaker design cues can be seen in this car. What I found most interesting is that the windshield is actually the rear window from a DeSoto.

The interior of the car isn’t exactly glamorous but it’s certainly intriguing with the aero-theme continuing onto the dash.

Photo – Bonhams

It looks to have come straight out of a WWII-era aircraft with function trumping form. The dials on flat, plain-looking black metal. I wonder if it has an attitude-indicator. The car is one-of-a-kind and is being offered for sale from a private collection – the only other owner save for the Cramer family.

Pre-sale estimates range from $100,000-$150,000. Here’s your chance to own something completely unique that will blow a Bugatti Veyron away on a dyno. More info can be found here and the rest of Bonhams’ catalog here.

Update: Sold $122,500.

1937 BMW 328

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1937 BMW 328 Roadster

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 20-21, 2012

Photo – Gooding & Company

The BMW 328 is one of the best pre-war sports cars. It has racing pedigree, superb styling and enough power from its 2.0 liter 80 horsepower straight six to make it always entertaining. Constructed from 1936 until the war halted production in 1940, a total of 463 of these gorgeous machines were built. The 328 won its class in the 1938 Mille Miglia and won the race outright in 1940.

With less than 500 of them around, they don’t come up for sale all that often. But, it’s one of those cars that, if you’re a serious collector, you just have to have one. It is the pre-war BMW to own… in fact, it’s one of very few BMWs that are incredibly collectible (the 507 and M1 both come to mind as well).

It’s just such a wonderful design – those wheels like they came off a period truck. And white, I think, is the best color. The pre-sale estimate on this car is $500,000-$650,000. Worth it. More info here with more on the auction here.

Update: Sold $517,000.

1901 Duryea Phaeton

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1901 Duryea Four-Wheel Phaeton

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 20, 2012

Photo – RM Auctions

Charles and Frank Duryea built the first gasoline-powered car in the United States, doing so in 1893. Two years later, Frank won the first American motor race and the brothers began selling copies of their Duryea Motor Wagon.

Production never reached astronomic proportions – in fact, the cars were so expensive that not many were sold at all. Some early cars were three-wheeled in nature and the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada has a three-wheeled Duryea that looks remarkable similar to the car pictured here. The craftsmanship on both cars is fantastic.

This car features a 10 horsepower three-cylinder engine and tiller steering. It is being offered from the estate of mega-collector John O’Quinn. RM estimates this car will sell for $40,000-$60,000. It’s rare, beautiful, interesting, and worth it.

For more information, click here with more on RM in Arizona here.

Update: Sold $96,250.

Ferrari 250 California

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1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 20-21, 2012

Photo – Gooding & Company

There are a handful of Ferrari models that stand above the rest. The 250 line contained a few of those, among them, this 250 GT California Spider. This is the long-wheelbase model that was produced from 1957 through 1959. Only 45 were built. It features a 3.0 liter V12 making 237 horsepower.

The original drop top 250 was the Pininfarina Cabriolet Series I, designed by Pininfarina (obviously). Closer to 200 of these were built, making the Scaglietti-designed California Spider much rarer.

In 1960, Scaglietti replaced the LWB California with the Short Wheelbase version and made about 55 of them (a replica SWB car was what Ferris Bueller kicked out of the window). The most expensive California to change hands was a SWB for almost $11 million back in 2008.

The pre-sale estimate on this car is $3,400,000-$3,800,000. More info on this car is available here with more on Gooding in Scottsdale, here.

Update: Sold $3,905,000.

Duesenberg J-284

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1930 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by Gooding & Company | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 20-21, 2012

Photo – Gooding & Company

Hooray! Gooding & Co. has finally put up their catalog so we can all “ooh” and “aah” at some of the best cars money can buy. The first car we are going to feature from their 2012 Scottsdale lineup is this 1930 Duesenberg Disappearing Top Convertible.

This car is titled as a 1932 because it is titled by its engine number. J-284 was installed at some point and a supercharger was added. The Duesenberg SJ was the factory supercharged version but this is an aftermarket conversion. I’m picturing 1930s high-schoolers souping up their dad’s Duesenberg. Let’s be thankful there isn’t a giant wing on the back.

The supercharger (which actually was a transplant from an actual SJ engine owned the this car’s owner during the 1960s) ups horsepower from 265 to 320. So it moves. Ownership history is known from new.

The Disappearing Convertible Coupe bodywork is by Walter M. Murphy Co. of Pasadena. This body style is one of the most sought after and definitely commands a price premium over a four-door sedan variant of the Model J. There is something quite elegant – and sporty – about a car that appears to have no top. This would have been quite the car to be seen driving (or riding) in 1930.

Gooding & Co. estimates a $1,600,000-$2,200,000 selling price. For more info about the car, click here. To see the entire lot list from Gooding & Co., click here.

Update: Sold $2,640,000.

Ex-Works Porsche 906

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1967 Porsche 906E

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

The long version of this car’s name is 1967 Porsche 906E Long-Nose, Short-Tail Endurance Racing Coupe. But to put that in metal badging on the car’s fender would weigh it down to the point where it would be uncompetitive.

This is the last street-legal race car Porsche built. It has a 220 horsepower 2.0 liter flat-6 and only 50 were built. This car was one of the last built and was retained as a Porsche-factory race car. It debuted at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring with Joe Buzzetta and Peter Gregg, finishing 7th. Shortly after that, the car was sold into private hands where it continued racing.

Rare 1960s prototype race cars don’t come up for sale everyday. There have been a few Porsche 904s (the car preceding this) that have come up for sale recently and only one 906. The 906 sold for about $950,000 at this auction last year. Expect similar results this time around – if it sells. Read the full catalog description here and check out the full lot list here.

Update: Not Sold.

Update II: Sold at Gooding & Co. Amelia Island 2012 Auction, $1,001,000.

Figoni et Falaschi 135M Delahaye

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1947 Delahaye 135M Three-Position Drophead Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

French coachbuilding firm Figoni et Falaschi is one of the most revered of all of the great coachbuilders and their work on Delahayes tend to be quite popular. This one is swoopy but it’s not as extravagant as some. It’s more along the lines of a post-war interpretation of a pre-war bodystyle.

This is the 135M model which means it has a 120/130 horsepower 3.6 liter straight six. Performance was sprightly, with the sports version of this car winning races across Europe – including the 1937 and 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The 135 was in production from 1935 until Delahaye was purchased by Hotchkiss and production halted in 1954. About 2,000 of them were built using a variety of coachbuilders. Bonhams estimates that this one will sell for between $250,000 and $350,000. Find out more here and more on the auction here.

Update: Sold $474,500.

Coventry-Eagle Flying-8

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1925 Coventry-Eagle 980cc Flying-8 Sidevalve

Offered by Bonhams | Las Vegas, Nevada | January 12, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

Coventry-Eagle built very desirable bikes (desirable both then and now) from 1903 until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. They produced lightweight bikes and larger, more luxurious (and more expensive) bikes like this.

Introduced in 1923, the Flying-8 featured a 980cc sidevalve v-twin until an overhead valve JAP engine was offered in 1926. The models remained in production until 1931 and 1930, respectively.

Coventry-Eagles are fairly rare today and big bikes like this are especially sought after by collectors. This is a fine example with a recent overhaul that can be ridden and shown with pride. Bonham’s estimates it at $90,000-$110,000. Not cheap, but it’s not exactly Brough Superior money. More info here and more on Bonhams in Vegas here.

Update: Not Sold.

Duesenberg J-355

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan by Murphy

Offered by Bonhams | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 19, 2012

Photo – Bonhams

I guess you could say that I have a thing for Duesenberg’s. Especially Model Js. Expect that, if there is one coming up for auction and I can get the car description well enough in advance (I want to know the engine number), then we’ll feature it here.

This is J-355 and it features elegant Convertible Sedan bodywork by Murphy and the 6876cc straight-eight Lycoming engine making an incredible (for the time) 265 horsepower.

J-355 was transplanted into this car (chassis #2225) from another Model J – one that was owned by a famous Hollywood producer. The original engine for this car is J-204 and that engine now resides in another Murphy-bodied Model J (chassis #2374). Basically, the two cars swapped powertrains sometime during their long history.

This car has not been offered for sale for quite some time, having been on display in a European museum for quite some time. It’s time to get it if you want it. Bonhams’ pre-sale estimate is $650,000-$750,000. Yes, it has slightly appreciated since new when it cost a whopping $12,000 in 1929. Read the full background here and check out more from Bonhams here.

Update: Not Sold.

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Yellow Cougar Convertible

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1973 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible

Offered by Russo & Steele | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 18-22, 2012

The second generation Mercury Cougar was in production from 1971-1973. 1973 was the final year for the Mustang-based Cougar as well as the final year for the convertible Cougar.

This particular example is a heavily-optioned XR7 (the luxury trim) with the GT hood scoop and the 351 Cobra Jet engine making 264 horsepower for 1973 (down 2 ponies from 1972). 1973 production was 60,628 and the 351 CJ made up only a small fraction of that number – the convertible XR7 even less.

Our pre-sale guesstimate is somewhere around $35,000-$40,000 (I mean, that’s a good looking car). More info on it can be found here and more about Russo & Steele in Scottsdale here.

Update: Sold $17,600.